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TUSCALOOSA - Kenyan Drake is on the outside looking in the running back rotation at Alabama right now.

Junior T.J. Yeldon was already the established starter after consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Sophomore Derrick Henry was the high school phenomenon who broke onto the national scene in the Sugar Bowl.

Couple that with Drake being in Nick Saban's doghouse for off-field issues with the latest being an misdemeanor arrest in July for obstructing governmental operations, it was going to be tough for Drake to get playing time.

Drake found out how tough in the season opener.

The junior speedster had just three carries with two coming in the final minute of No. 2-ranked Alabama's 33-23 win against West Virginia at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. He finished with seven yards rushing as he and freshman Tyren Jones are both listed as third team on the depth chart for Saturday's home opener against Florida Atlantic (0-1).

"Probably used Kenyan Drake a little bit more in special situations," Saban said Monday. "Just didn't maybe come up where we thought he would play more in the game. Didn't come up quite as much in those situations."

Drake mostly watched Yeldon and Henry share the rushing load. The two combined for 239 yards and three touchdowns on 40 carries.

"Those boys looked good out there," senior fullback Jalston Fowler said. "Both of them running with speed, power and explosiveness."

Yeldon led the Tide (1-0) in rushing with 126 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns while Henry accounted for 113 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.

"I like the way both guys played," Saban said. "As long as we can keep them healthy and they can stay healthy, that's probably how we'll play."

Saban said the team has confidence in Yeldon, Henry and Drake, but the WVU game gave indication he has more confidence in two of the three. Drake is a better receiver than Yeldon and Henry. So it wasn't surprising to see Blake Sims try to find him on a wheel route. The pass fell incomplete on the sidelines.

Drake should get a decent amount of carries in the next two games against Florida Atlantic and Southern Miss, which should both be over by halftime. So we won't know where he stands in the rotation until Florida comes to Tuscaloosa on Sept. 20.